Boca teen shows her support for U.S. troops

Sabrina Ungerman cares deeply about U.S. troops, and she wants to help others also show their appreciation.

To that end, the eighth-grader at Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton started a venture to support military members and their loved ones: Embracelets, U-shaped, stainless steel bracelets.

"Soldiers do a lot for us, and people don't necessarily remember that — and they should," said Ungerman, 14, of Boca Raton. "I want to make a difference because I want to raise awareness."

All funds raised from bracelet sales go to a scholarship fund she created called Scholarship for Hope, which assists military personnel and their families.

"Right now, it's about raising funds and awareness," said her mom, Marisa Ungerman. "Eventually, Sabrina wants to start a write-in campaign for military families, so she can disperse checks to them."

She has raised about $1,500 since she began selling them in May. The Embracelets come in a variety of styles.

Ungerman thought of the idea after watching a news story about a returning soldier. It sparked a family discussion about the lack of awareness of and sometimes respect for war veterans. She conducted research and came across the bracelets worn for soldiers who went missing in action.

When Ungerman was thinking of a business project for the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce Young Entrepreneurs Academy, it didn't take her long to decide. She researched other organizations that made bracelets for the military and spoke to U.S. veterans about her idea.

"Sabrina started with an idea that was something she felt very strongly about," said Beth Johnston, the chamber's executive vice president and academy director. "With the encouragement of the Boca chamber YEA! staff, business plan mentor and her classmates, she was able to realize a dream."

Utilizing her YEA training, which included a partnership with the Florida Atlantic University Adams Center for Entrepreneurship, Ungerman wrote a business plan and pitched her idea to investors.

She has spoken to several audiences about Embracelets, and Saint Andrew's recently agreed to let her sell bracelets two days a week on campus.

"Some people don't like war, but they don't take into account that people have lost friends and family who protect us," she said.